Kuala lumpur: The General Operations Force (GOF) arrested an elderly man and seized 6,000 saplings suspected of being smuggled to Kedah during a raid in Kampung Padang Licin, Pasir Mas, today. Its Southeast Brigade commander SAC Ahmad Radzi Hussain said that during the raid around 11.30 am, members of the 8th Battalion of the GOF and the Kota Bharu Agricultural Department also seized a Hicom truck.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the truck was found to be carrying 2,000 saplings each of frangipani, cermai, and cactus flowers, with a total estimated value of RM300,000 including the truck. The 61-year-old man is believed to have acted as a driver and admitted to being involved in the activity for about five years.

The suspect claimed to be working with a Thai man known as 'Salleh' and received RM300 for each delivery of saplings to a nursery in Kedah. The seized items were handed over to the Kota Bharu Agricultural Department for action under Section 5 of the Plant Quarantine Act 1976 (Act 167), while intelligence and monitoring will continue to combat smuggling activities in the country's border areas.